Enemy
by Rubisco
Summary: I should stay away. Those beautiful, icy blue eyes told me so...to touch him is to die. And I want so very badly to die... (Au Taito) COMPLETE
1. Yamato

Standard Disclaimer: Roses are red and violets are blue, candy is sweet, and I DON'T OWN DIGIMON! 

Author's Note: What can I say? Taito...again, and Yama angst...again. Totally different from my other story, though, which reminds me. Um...I _am_ working on Chapter three of "My Inferno", honest! Just because I'm starting a new fic and thinking about another fic doesn't mean I've slacked off _at all_. Yeah...*tries to look innocent but fails miserably* 

The Standard Warning Thingy: Yaoi stuff in here, so I've warned you. No flames please, unless if it's about my writing skills... 

Enemy 

Chapter 1 - Yamato   
  
_ So this is hell._   
_ What, cracking a joke? Talking to voices in your head? Not funny, Ishida Yamato, not funny at all._   
I lift my head a little so I can see the guard dragging me down the hall. It hurts like hell, but I want to know where they are taking me.   
_Why hello there old chap, you look so bloody gloomy today. Why don't you tell me all the secrets you know so I can get out of here? Brilliant, Ishida, that'll go over really well._   
So I'm a little sarcastic right now, more than usual, anyway.   
I wonder if they teach guards exactly how to get on the prisoner's nerves.   
_Laugh hysterically if the person is about to be killed._   
_Comment on the sickly appearance of the person if they are about to be tortured, and tell them it will only get worse._   
_Remain silent if you are taking the person to see the king._   
Of course they are taking me to see the king. I've known all along.   
That evil, twisted, sick, BASTARD!   
And right on cue we enter what appears to be the king's bed chamber; my heart sinks.   
"Well, well, well," says his _Royal_ Majesty, grabbing a fistful of my torn shirt and pushing me on to his bed, "all that effort, my pretty little doll, all that fighting, and you ended up in my hands anyway. It was hopeless. You knew that, didn't you? You are MINE, beautiful, and you won't ever have the chance to escape."   
"Bastard," I hiss through my teeth despite the pain.   
"Aw, is this any way to speak to your master? The torture chambers hadn't fazed that spirit of yours one bit."   
He leans forward until his lips are inches away from my face, "and I want you now more than ever," he whispers hotly.   
And I punch him, not very hard, I admit, since I can barely even feel my arm any more, but he _is_ bleeding.   
He only sighs a little, as if I am a naughty little boy who has gotten into trouble yet again.   
"This is what I'm talking about, Yamato. I say I like you, and you nearly destroy my palace. I kill your mother to force you to submit, and you raise an army against me. I declare my undying love for you, and you break my face. But it's over, the revolution. It's over."   
"It. Is. Not."   
How _dare_ he talk about my mother in that careless way, as if her life didn't matter, as if she _deserved_ to die, when it was all _my_ fault? I try to hit him again, but this time he restrains me.   
"Really," he smiles, and I seethe with rage, "how do you think I managed to capture you at last?"   
"Probably paid some little sneak a few gold coins to slip that poison into my drink," I say fiercely, "I shouldn't be surprised, coming from you. You are always one to use the lowest--"   
"Not just _some_ little sneak, my golden haired one, _Sora_. It was Sora."   
And I freeze.   
No.   
Not this not this, _anything_ but this.   
He reads the shock in my eyes and positively grins, "She _did_ love you, beautiful. The poor thing, and you never loved her back, didn't even give her a chance. So insecure, she was, wanted you so _so _badly, and I took advantage of that."   
"I seduced her," he continued, reaching out a hand to stroke my hair, "told her it was a love potion, told her it'll make you hers forever."   
I jerk away from his touch, pouring as much hatred as I can into the glare I send him.   
"Oh, don't look at me like that, beautiful," his voice drops down to a whisper, "you see, I _knew_ how she annoys you, how you don't like her at all. So I took care of her for you."   
His eyes are shining, as if he had just presented me with the world's most precious jewel.   
And I have never wanted to hurt a person so badly before.   
_That's right, Ishida, just keep thinking of all the nasty things you can do to him, then you won't have to realize that yet another life had been ruined because of you, that once again someone else paid for your mistakes._   
How much more blood will stain my hands, before I finally die?   
I may not have liked Sora in that way; I may not have appreciated her efforts to deepen our relationship, but she is a _friend_, and I have betrayed her.   
Just like I have betrayed my mother.   
"Think about it, my love, your little band of outlaws are now without their precious leader. You can't guide them anymore, and they will turn on each other, destroy each other, so why _isn't_ it over?"   
For the first time since waking up in this hell, I feel some measure of calmness.   
No, maybe _I'm _not there to lead the revolution now, but Takeru is. He has been with me since the beginning, has stayed by my side through the entire length of the bloody war. I know my little brother well, and he will take my place.   
I just hope he isn't foolish enough to try and rescue me; I'm not worth that.   
The king takes my silence for defeat.   
"You shouldn't let them betray you like that, Yamato, the way Sora did. You shouldn't let them strike again..."   
"So I have to make the first move," I murmur. Playing along for now wouldn't hurt.   
He thinks he has me convinced, and brushes his lips against my forehead.   
"I'll help you," he whispers in my ear, "just tell me where they are hiding, and I'll make sure they _never_ bother you again. Beautiful..."   
His grip on me loosens, as I knew it would, enough for me to push him back by the shoulder, enough for me to hit him yet again in the face.   
He grabs me by the throat and slams me back against the bed, "What, do you _want _to go back to the torture chambers?"   
"Sure," I grit out, "as long as I don't have to look at your face--"   
"You think I _enjoy_ hurting you, Yamato? Just tell me what I need to know and I'll--"   
"You'll what? Kiss me good-bye and let me go? Yeah, no problem, I really believe--"   
"I just want you to be mine! That's how this whole mess started in the first place, because I love--"   
"No one. You wouldn't know what love is if it kicked you in the stomach, and you sure as hell don't love me."   
We glared at each other.   
"I'll force you," he stated in a low, dangerous voice, "I'll _make _you mine, and you will enjoy it, Yamato, so much that you will plead for more, so much that you will do _anything_, tell me _anything,_ just for me to touch you again."   
He releases me and gets off the bed.   
"A different form of torture, beautiful, and you _will_ talk. But of course that can hardly be carried out in your current condition."   
"Take him to Captain Yagami," he says to one of the guards, "tell him to take care of my pretty little doll."   
"I'll see you when you've healed," he blows me a kiss, "and then the real fun begins."   
If Yagami has any mercy in him at all, I think as the king exits his room and the guards approach me, then he'll kill me before it's too late. 

********************* 

Review?? Pretty please with lots of Yamas on top? *attempts to look pathetic* 

Thanks for Reading. 

Rubisco 


	2. Taichi

Standard Disclaimer: ENZYMES! They are absolutely fantastic! There's Topoisomerase, which untwists DNA during DNA replication; there's sucrase, which breaks down the sugar sucrose in the body; and then there's the "I-don't-own-Digimon" enzyme, which keeps this sorry excuse for a writer from being sued... 

Author's Note: Thank you for all the lovely reviews! Criticism is welcome of course, and I'm glad people are reading this story. I will answer each reviewer's questions individually below. 

The Standard Warning Thingy: Last time I'm doing this. Seriously, if you don't know what Taito is by now then...O_o 

In Response to Individual Reviews: 

DarkMetalAngel of Destruction: What time setting? Um...good question. Does "A Fantasy World of Your Choice" sound okay? Yes? Good... 

Ayamari: The king is an original character from the deep, dark, and twisted mind of Yours Truly *takes a bow* 

Burned Vamp: Hmm...guess what? I UPDATED!! *brightly* Your turn now! So...what did poor Yama decide? Being with Tai? Or Saving his little innocent brother? 

Violet Cleric: Taichi is kind...very kind...REALLY very kind... 

Bird of Fire: Sorry, didn't mean to scare you...king belongs to me...hehehe... 

Brennend: How did Yama destroy the king's palace? What an excellent idea! I think I'll develop that...hmm...something that involves lot's of fire and Yama knocking people unconscious... 

Enemy 

Chapter 2 - Taichi 

They've told me Ishida Yamato is dangerous; they've told me Ishida Yamato is brilliant; they've told me Ishida Yamato can defeat a dozen men with his bare hands.   
But no one's ever bothered to tell me Ishida Yamato is _beautiful_, and as sexy as hell.   
I realize with a jolt that the guard has been talking to me for the past few minutes, and tear my eyes away from the figure at my feet.   
"...A strong poison, one that weakens the body. He shouldn't even be able to stand, let alone fight back, until he gets the antidote. Keep a close watch on him though, His Majesty said he might try to kill himself..."   
_Yeah yeah yeah, shut up and let me stare at him in peace._   
I am vaguely aware of the guards leaving, and the sudden silence that falls over the room.   
The golden haired angel manages to pull himself into a kneeling position, and raises piercing, deep blue eyes to look directly at me.   
_All right, Yagami, he's your prisoner. He's supposed to be afraid of YOU, not the other way around._   
But his gaze is like ice; it stabs through and through. I've been dealt a lighter blow with a spear.   
_Time to establish myself as his friendly host._   
I take a step towards him, half expecting him to try to kill me, scolding myself all the while for feeling so timid.   
"Do you know who I am?"   
His eyes narrow, as if I've just asked an incredibly stupid question.   
"Yagami."   
I take another step towards him.   
"_Captain_ Yagami," I state softly.   
He's expecting me to hit him. I see it in the way his body tenses, the way he sets his jaw.   
"Yagami."   
He doesn't flinch when I kneel down before him, leaning forward until our faces are mere inches apart.   
"I'm not going to hurt you."   
I've been ordered to heal him. It is not my place to question my master.   
He doesn't relax when I examine him, but he's not struggling, either. Maybe he's too tired.   
I run a finger over the whip marks on his back. He has such perfect skin, pale, soft, and tender. They've flawed it though, with a million cuts, and a million bruises.   
But this is the man who started it all, the one responsible for the war. He is a threat to my king, my master who has saved my life. I owe His Majesty a debt, and I'm repaying him in the only way I know how; I'm following him to whatever end he may go. And so I'm directing the army against the rebellion, and although I pity the man before me, I must not help him.   
I will not help my enemy.   
He lets out a gasp as my hand glides over his injured ribs. His brow burns to the touch; he's very ill.   
They've hurt him pretty bad.   
"Come," I say, gently lifting him and carrying him over to the bed, "you need food and rest."   
He is slender, and so light in my arms. How can such grace and beauty be the cause of so much blood, so many deaths?   
I clean and dress his wounds. He sits quietly, eyes closed.   
"Does it hurt?" I ask, lifting his arm a little.   
"No," he says flatly, and too quickly.   
Whatever horrible things they have done to him, they haven't broken him. I need to respect him for that.   
There's a knock on the door.   
"Yes?"   
"Captain, His Majesty would like to see you."   
"Fine, I'll be right down."   
I cover my charge with blankets, making a note to myself to later send for food.   
"I'll be right back."   
His eyes remain closed. 

************************************* 

"Your Majesty wanted to see me?"   
He looks up.   
"Yes, Captain. I believe you have met our honorable guest?"   
"Yes, sir"   
The king appears to be quite amused.   
"Pretty little thing, isn't he?"   
I make no reply, trying to ignore the sudden sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.   
"Do you know why I've ordered _you_ to look after him?"   
No, actually. We have many healers, most of them a whole lot better than me. Why _did_ the rebel land in my lap?   
"I don't trust anyone else."   
How...flattering.   
He positively beams at me, "Remember the Great Plague? I cured you, saved you, taught you everything you know. And you have served me well, Captain, my right hand man."   
The king sends me a dark look.   
"But I'm telling you right now. Ishida Yamato is more important than you can ever imagine. Don't screw this up. You have access to the best medicines this kingdom has to offer. I want you with him every moment of everyday. To hell with the war; you are going to make him better as soon as possible. Is that understood?"   
"Yes, sir, but why--?"   
"Don't ask dangerous questions, Captain, and you won't get dangerous answers."   
I take the hint and bow my way out of the king's study, more troubled than ever.   
_Why would you torture someone for information, and then heal them?_

*****************************************   
  
Some time in the middle of the night I wake up to a strangled cry.   
Yamato.   
I scramble in the darkness to light a candle.   
His eyes are sealed tightly shut. Sweat is running down his face and he's shaking.   
A nightmare?   
"Hey," I say softly, touching his shoulder, "wake up."   
Ocean blue eyes snap open, not at all like the ones I've seen before. They hold too much depth, too much pain. Suddenly he looks fragile, desperate, and _so _beautiful.   
He jerks away from my touch as if I'm the raging fire of immortality itself, pulling himself up and scrambling back against the wall. He presses himself into the corner between two walls, knees against his chest. I notice for the first time how thin he is, how...vulnerable, like a child that has lost a mother.   
I lift his chin up to meet those eyes again. He glares at me, but cannot pull away.   
This time I see past the ice, behind his anger, and he is frightened.   
Of what? Of me? Why would he be afraid of me?   
"It's okay," I whisper, "everything will be okay."   
His bottom lip trembles against his will.   
Without thinking I pull him into my arms, and he needs the comfort too much to care. He fell asleep like that...head resting against my chest...my hand stroking gently his soft, golden hair...   
I don't know what to say, and perhaps, there are no words for me to say. 

******************************************* 

Author's Note: O_O It's like *yawn* two in the morning. See, I _was_ gonna work on English all night...compare Othello to Hamlet blah blah blah, so I drank a cup of coffee, and of course I just _had _to get stuck on a valid essay outline and after 10 minutes of day dreaming finally convinced myself it would not affect my essay in _any_ way if I tortured Yama now, as opposed to after I finish my homework. Come to think of it, why _did_ I stay up to do it on a Saturday, when it's due on Tuesday? I'm strange...   
Anyhow, you've read the chapter, you see the review button below, and you've suffered all of this author's insane ramblings so far, so...why not? Go ahead, tell me you love my writing, tell me you hate my guts, tell me you agree with me that Hamlet is just a vehicle for his father's revenge, I mean, c'mon, the guy is _obsessed_. 


	3. Yamato

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Thanks for all your reviews, I am trying to update My Inferno. Sorry for the delay on both stories. I've been really busy. 

Enemy 

Chapter 3 - Yamato 

_ Aww...is Ishida angry? Is Ishida hurt? Is Ishida feeling sorry for himself?_

I punch the wall again. 

_Yes. Yes. Yes._

Something warm is trickling down my fingers. Blood. 

I made a mistake. I screwed up. And instead of receiving an honorable death like any other failed political leader, I get to be a toy, a pleasure slave to the head of the very government I am trying to overthrow. 

Life can't possibly get any better. 

I choke back a scream of frustration. 

No, I won't let him take me. I won't. I won't. I WON'T. I don't belong to him. Ishida Yamato doesn't belong to _anyone_. 

Something grabs my arm mid swing, and I fight fiercely to get away. But I'm not strong enough anymore, not nearly strong enough. 

"Why are you hurting yourself?" 

_Why? _The idiot has to ask WHY? 

I _am_ going to kill him. I _will_ kill him. He is going to _die_. He _will_ die. 

"Hey, calm down." 

CALM down? Calm DOWN? 

No way in hell. 

"Stop it! Ishida, I'm trying to help you!" 

Oh yeah? You want to help me Yagami? Jump off a cliff, and take your damned king and your damned army with you! 

My body suddenly goes limp, and I sigh. I don't care anymore. Mother is dead. Sora is dead. TK is going to die. And I will spend the rest of my life chained to His Majesty's bed. 

Kind of funny since the whole point of the war was so that I _wouldn't_ end up as the king's personal play thing. And after all these deaths and all that fighting I have failed anyway. 

"Are you okay?" 

Oh, yes, perfectly fine, never been better. 

I hate you. 

He saw me last night, _me_. Not the icy mask I have perfected over the years. He saw a pathetic, frightened little boy who couldn't finish what he started. He will never see that boy again. 

Ever. 

"I brought you breakfast. Are you hungry?" 

No. 

"Why don't you say anything?" 

I'm pretending that you don't exist, idiot. 

"Your hands are bleeding." 

Good. 

"You are really hurt, you know," he says softly, "you shouldn't make it worse." 

I close my eyes. 

"I'm tired," that thin, hollow voice cannot possibly be mine, "go away." 

"You have to eat." 

I pass out.   


OOOOOO   


Time. 

It just passes you by. I think I turned six years old yesterday. 

I want to see my mother again. 

She hates me. She has to hate me. The very idea that she's capable of hatred means some part of her is still there, that she hasn't been wiped away from this world. Her hatred is _tangible_. If I reach far enough, I can touch it; I can touch her. 

I need her. 

_I wish I was never born. I wish I had fallen into the river when I was six and drowned. I wish I had died instead of you._

I miss her. 

_I have your eyes; the color of your hair is in my hair, but I can't see you in me. Where else could you be?_

I love her. 

_I killed you, didn't I? Do you hate me? Do you know that I need you to hate me?_

They made me watch. She smiled before she died. 

_ You said you would tell me where Father disappeared to when I turn nineteen. I am nineteen now._

TK has so much faith in me. I am his mother, his father, and his brother. But I'm so lost. 

I am alone. 

_When did the world get so dark?_   


OOOOOO   


It's raining. I know that before I even open my eyes, and I can feel a soft smile on my lips. TK loves the rain. 

"You are awake." 

Brown eyes. They are warm and forgiving. I can't trust them. 

"You've been out for three days." 

I ignore him. 

"I liked you better when you were asleep. You ate when I told you to, and you talked in your sleep." 

I freeze. 

_I. Talked._

"What did I say?" 

He laughs, and my hand clenches into a fist. 

"Oh, don't worry. You didn't mention the revolution at all. You talked about your mother." 

He's suddenly serious, "Who killed her?" 

I relax a little. So I didn't even let that piece of information slip. 

"It's none of your business." 

He pauses. 

"You know, we are going to be spending a long time together." 

"So?" 

"So, would it be so bad if we be nice to each other?" 

I am _not_ answering that question. 

He seems to give up, and strides over to the window to watch the rain. 

I stare at my hands. They are bandaged. They look thin and frail and broken. A wave of anger washes over me. I am not frail. I am not broken. 

"Why did you do it?" 

I look up to see him staring at me. 

"Why did you rebel?" 

I don't like the look in his eyes. He seems disappointed, almost hurt, as if I am a friend who has just committed murder. He shouldn't look at me like that. I am not his friend. 

"Why do you follow your king?" 

"A life for a life time of service," he answers, "His Majesty saved me. I repay him with honor." 

Your honor is a curse to the rest of us. 

"That's your reason, then. I have mine." 

He sighs, "You could have been safe. Did you do it for power?" 

That's it. This conversation is over. He's blind. He's probably never seen the poverty, the slaves, the torture and the slaughter. I'm not about to tell him. 

He catches my chin and forces me to look at him. He runs his thumb over my lips. I shiver. 

"We could have been friends," he whispers, "I've lost my mother too." 

"No," I turn away from him, "we can never be friends." 

Outside, the sky turns black.   


OOOOOO 

Author's Note: Must...finish...English...homework... I hope you people are happy, 'cause now I'm going to have to stay up ALL NIGHT on those stupid English questions. We are studying The Wars. I thought Shakespeare was hard. Why am I in English Honors again? Oh, yeah, 'cause I wanted to bloody kill myself. A course that whips through three plays in two weeks had looked fun. Still, this is better than handing in one essay per week for the entire month of April... I'm rambling, suppressed hatred for English coming through here. Review, or else. 

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	4. Taichi

Standard Disclaimer: I'm running out of creative ideas, so from now on it'll just be boring...DON'T OWN IT. 

Author's Note: He he he...this story is getting ahead of My Inferno. But I'm having trouble writing that one, and the plot in this fic is ACTUALLY already worked out. I'm amazed....   
I'll update My Inferno sometime, I promise.   
Thank you to all of those who reviewed. Got an eighty on that English homework :::Grin::: it could have been a lot worse... 

Enemy 

Chapter 4 - Taichi 

I watch him sleep. 

He's so much softer like this, with his head turned to the side, and a lock of shining sun kissed hair in his face. Soft, pale lips are parted slightly. They allow only the most elusive whispers to escape. 

It's been four days since our conversation, four days since he turned away from me, and four days since he told me we could never be friends. 

And I wonder. 

I wonder how he can be like steel, yet so vulnerable. I wonder how he can be so beautiful, yet so cold. I wonder how I can be so drawn towards him, yet so afraid of the ice in his eyes. 

I wish we had met under different circumstances. I wish we weren't on opposing sides of a civil war. I wish... 

I wish he didn't hate me. 

"Yamato," I try his name, "_Yama_." 

I smile. 

We _would_ have been friends, if only because I understand his pain. For I too, am alone.   


OOOOOO   


Whoever told me Ishida Yamato cannot fight me at this point in time because of some stupid poison is the biggest liar in the world. May he burn in hell forever. 

I wipe blood from my chin. 

"Damn it, Ishida! Will you just eat for once?" 

He glares back. 

"Don't touch me." 

Well, tough. I'm going to make him eat if it's the last thing I do. This is for his own good, really. Climbing on to the bed, I straddle him. He's too weak to fight me this time. 

I wave my dagger in front of his face. 

"Eat, or I'll cut your hair." 

He seems to seriously consider my threat for a moment, and I take the opportunity to slide the blade through a single lock of golden hair. A sound of indignation escapes his throat, and he makes one last valiant attempt at throwing me off of him before admitting defeat. 

"Fine," a humiliated whisper. 

I smile smugly, feeling the fine golden strands in my hand. He must really care about his hair... 

"You'll finish _all_ the soup?" 

"Yes." 

"And the bread?" 

A long suffering sigh, "Yes." 

"How about the fruit?" 

"OKAY!" He yells, "I'll eat the whole damn tray! Now leave me the hell alone!" 

His eyes are burning. They are so _so_ blue. Even the ocean cannot hope to be so deep, so _intense_. To touch him is to die, and I want so very badly to die. How hard can it be, to cross the few inches between us, to taste and claim those alluring lips as mine? 

"Get off of me," his voice is sharp, deadly, reminding me that we are enemies. 

I slide off the bed. 

"Give me the spoon," he says calmly, a little _too_ calmly. 

I look at his heavily bandaged hands, "Um..." 

"Give it to me!" 

I shrug. This is going to be enjoyable. 

For the next few minutes I watch with great amusement as he repeatedly tries to use the spoon and repeatedly drops it. The soup stays untouched. 

"Excuse me?" I ask pleasantly the seventh time this happens. 

A low growl is my only response. 

"I think you might need some help." 

"No I don't!" The force of his outburst surprises me. 

He lets his head fall back against the wall. 

"I am not helpless," he whispers, "I am _not_. I am not." 

"Hey," I reach out to touch his shoulder, "it's okay." 

He flinches away from me, "_Nothing_ is okay." 

Sapphire eyes drop closed, "Why are you being nice to me? I _am_ the one who killed half of your precious army." 

_Yes you are, and I can't ever forget that_. 

I pick up the spoon from the tray, "Here, just keep your eyes closed and pretend I'm TK or someone else, okay? It's not like I didn't feed you all those days when you were unconscious." 

"You are not my brother." 

So that's who TK is. I thought it might have been a lover, the way he kept whispering the name in his sleep... 

_Feeling relieved, Yagami? You are beyond help._

"Let us pretend, just for now? Your hands are healing fast. You will be able to eat by yourself soon." 

Silence. 

"You _do_ want to keep your hair the way it is, don't you?" 

If only I can use that threat on everyone...   


OOOOOO   


He looks sad. 

_Yama_. 

How long has it been? Days? Weeks? 

He hasn't spoken to me since the day I threatened to cut his hair. There's despair in his eyes. 

I watch as he stares out the window. He's saying good-bye to the sky. 

And I'll never forget how his hair fell into his eyes, how he chewed at his bottom lip until he drew blood, how those jeweled eyes sparkled with unshed tears, tears that will never be allowed to fall. 

Angels don't cry. 

I stand, "Come, we can go outside for a while." 

The sound of my voice startles him, but he soon looks away again. 

"I can't walk." 

I think I liked it better when he fought me, when the anger in him kept everything alive. He's so empty now, empty and tired. 

He stiffens when I lift him up, and for a moment I thought he might protest. It's what he would have done when he first ended up here with me. But he didn't even make a sarcastic comment, just closed his eyes hopelessly and let me carry him down to the garden. 

I set him down gently in a chair by the stream, where the sun can turn his hair into liquid fire. A maid brings us a basket of flowers. I set it down in his lap. 

And some life returns to his eyes. 

"Do you like it out here?" 

He holds a red rose in his hand. "I haven't been outside for a long time." 

"Then we'll come more often." 

_This is where you really belong, isn't it? With life all around you, to forgive the death in your heart_.   


OOOOOO   


Time. 

It is an invisible substance. You can't touch it, but it can touch you, and you can't ever hold on to it. 

I wish I can. 

_Yama_. 

He's almost completely healed. All the cuts and bruises have disappeared, leaving behind pale, smooth skin. I don't want to let him go. Can I really forgive him for all he's done? Can I really betray my master? 

I think I already have. 

I finish examining him, and he returns to his corner of the bed. Blue eyes stare accusingly at me, as if I have a _choice_, as if I _choose_ to hand him over back to the king. Will they torture him again? Bloody once more the perfection of that soft skin? 

Can I let them? 

He tries to escape, but the poison in him is still at work, and he is drained of all his strength. I trap him in the corner. 

"What am I supposed to do with you?" 

"Let go of me." 

"Tell me why. Why did you do it?" 

"Leave me alone." 

"Tell me!" I shake him, and after an eternity has passed and gone, he replies. 

"They killed my mother." 

It is the softest of whispers. I almost don't catch it. 

Despair. Pain. Those eyes are a storm of emotions. 

I kiss him. 

He struggles, struggles with everything he has, even as he wraps his arms around me to both draw me closer and to push me away. 

Wide, frightened sapphire eyes. 

I touch his cheek, and say in a quivering, broken voice: 

"I love you."   


OOOOOO 

Author's Note: One sided Taito status obtained. MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Should I get a pat on the back for updating so soon, or a smack in the head for ending the chapter here? 

Oh, and no English homework this time...no English homework AT ALL... 

Is it just me, or am I really happy? :::runs off to study Physics::: 

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	5. Yamato

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: Uh...I knew I kind of left the last chapter hanging...so I wrote really fast this time. Chapter 5 and 6 are going to be a bit shorter than the other chapters because I need a POV change. Hope that's okay. I won't take TOO long with chapter 6...really, I'll work on it when I take breaks from all that cramming I have to do for finals... 

Thank you for the reviews. 

Enemy 

Chapter 5 - Yamato 

_What? You thought he was okay? You thought he wouldn't hurt you?_

Yes, yes I did. He was kind to me. 

_But you were wrong, weren't you? He's just like the rest of them._

Yes, yes he is. He wants something from me. They all do. 

_He thinks he's in love with you._

It's my fault. I stopped fighting. 

_But you don't love him, do you?_

I shouldn't have stopped fighting. 

_Do you?_

_ Do you?_   


OOOOOO   


He hasn't kissed me since that day. But he lets me know, with little touches, with longing and pleading in his eyes when he looks at me, that he's only waiting. 

_What do you want from me?_

I'm tired. I'm so tired. I want to go home, but there _is_ no home. 

_Did it hurt, Taichi, when I turned away from your confession? Were you expecting me to say "I love you too"?_

He takes me to the garden everyday now, as if he knows I need something, _anything_. 

_What do I need?_

Something touches me, and I look up sharply. But he's only draping a cloak over my shoulders. 

"Sure you want to stay out here?" 

A hand runs gently through my hair. I don't have the strength to stop him. 

So I nod, closing my eyes, and he leaves me alone. 

_Will this be the last time I see the stars?_   


OOOOOO   


Cold. 

Soft voices in my ear. 

And then water, so warm and comfortable that I gasp. 

Arms around me. It's safe here. I've never felt safe before. 

"Is it really so hard to love me, Yama?" 

_Yama_. 

My eyes snap open, and I tear myself away from his grasp, splashing water everywhere and hardly taking in the appearance of the pool. 

"How dare you!" My voice is cracking. Even I can hear it. "No one's called me that in years!" 

Chocolate eyes hold firm. 

The bastard! Drags me out of bed when I'm still asleep and dumps me in a puddle of water! A sudden chill runs through me as I realize my clothes are lying in a heap at the edge of the pool. Out of reach. 

"I hate you." I say it in a calm, deadly sort of way. But I'm afraid. I'm afraid because I feel weak, because I feel I can't fight him. 

"Just answer the question." He comes closer. 

The anger that died so long ago flares up again. 

"I don't have to listen to you. I don't have to speak to you, and I don't have to stay here. I'm leaving." 

He looks...amused. There's also hunger in his eyes. 

I cross my arms in front of myself, as if he can see through the water, and ignore the hopelessness of my situation. 

"Go ahead and leave," he says pleasantly, "I'm not stopping you." 

There's nothing else to do but glare, and I allow myself the pleasure of picturing his slow and painful death. 

"Turn around." 

He smiles at me. "You are hardly in a position to order _me_ around." 

For the first time in my life, my brain fails to supply me with a sarcastic comment. 

"And besides," he adds pointedly, "how are you planning to climb out of here by yourself?" 

So that's it. He thinks I'm weak. He thinks I can be manipulated. Surrounded by water, I'm exposed and helpless and alone. At his mercy. 

I turn my back on him. "What do you want from me?" 

"I don't want anything from you." 

"Then don't try giving me anything either." 

"Yama..." 

"Don't call me that!" No, this can't be. I didn't just hear desperation in _my_ voice. I'm not broken. I'm not broken. 

"Yama," he repeats firmly, softly, "don't you even know what you need?" 

"I don't need _anything_. And even if I did, _you_ couldn't ever possibly give me enough." 

"Are you sure about that?" He's dangerously close now. I can feel the warmth that is his presence. 

"Everyone needs something, Yama. It doesn't make you weak." 

Trapped. I force down panic. 

"Think about what you are doing, Yagami. Remember your honor and your king. Remember who I am." 

He whirls me around to face him, and it's like being engulfed in fire. I can't breathe. I can't look away from his eyes. 

"I don't care." The words are spoken in a whisper, but he might as well have shouted them from the rooftops. 

"How can you do this to me?" I ask hopelessly. 

I don't want to choose. I don't want to be here. Whatever I decide will only bring more death, more blood. 

"You need someone who doesn't expect you to always be so strong. You need someone to remind you everyday that you are beautiful. You need someone to hold you every night. You need someone who'll shake you and free you from that guilt you feel when you can't fix every little thing in the world." 

His hands are tangled in my hair, his lips brushing my cheek with every word. 

"And sometimes, you just want to give up control, just want to be free." 

Hands trailing down my back, pulling me closer. 

"And when you have all that you need, you will be home. Isn't that what you want? To go home?" 

A soft kiss on the lips. 

"This can be home, Yama." 

He kisses me again, slowly, deeply. I don't struggle. 

"I love you." He says, gently, pleadingly. 

And this time, I don't turn away.   


OOOOOO   


Author's Note: :::cries::: Complete...Taito status...achieved. :::sob::: IT WAS SO HARD! What, you thought _Taichi_ worked hard to convince Yama to love him? Who told him all those things to say? Hmm? ME! Where would that big haired idiot be without ME? Huh? Hmm? HUH?! Yeah, I'm on coffee right now. Just wrote three exams today and I'm SUPPOSED to be cramming for another two right now. I love Physics to death, but seriously...Yama is better... 

Now...back to the wonderful world of the photoelectric effect...hee hee hee...this graph of the different energy levels of mercury reminds me of Yama's hair... 

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	6. Taichi

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: Thank you for all your reviews. Finals are horrid. 

Enemy 

Chapter 6 - Taichi 

"And here?" I press down carefully on the pale skin. 

"It doesn't hurt, Taichi, really." 

I rub ointment onto those muscles anyway, not trusting him one bit. He sighs a little from where he lay on his stomach, a silky, wine colored robe draped over his lower body. 

I let my fingers linger on his back, edging forward on the bed until I could see his face. 

His lips are twisted into a bitter half smile. 

Frowning, I reach out with my free hand, caressing his mouth over and over again, trying to erase it. 

"Do you really love me?" 

Alarmed, I place little kisses on his bare shoulder. "Of course I do." 

He turns his head, letting his hair fall and hiding behind the golden curtain. 

"I _will_ kill your master. I _will_ destroy this government. You are his captain, Taichi. You have an obligation to avenge his death. Your honor demands that _you kill his murderer_." 

He takes my hand, lacing our fingers together, meeting my horrified gaze. 

"Will you kill me?" 

Blue eyes darken when I hesitate, until they are almost violet. He slides off the bed, the robe pooling around his feet like spilled wine. I stand. He shouldn't be doing this. He's going to fall, hurt himself. 

He reaches over, draws my sword, places the hilt in my hand. 

Guides the blade to his throat. 

I gasp. 

_Yama_. 

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Taichi? Why do you think your king wants me healed? Can't you guess what he plans to do with me?" 

I can't breathe, not when his pale body gleams like a ghost in the candle light, not when there's death in his eyes. 

"Mother died so this wouldn't happen. I didn't just start the war to save the thousands of slaves; I wanted to save myself as well." 

His voice drops down to a whisper. "I don't belong to him." 

I feel dizzy. Slaves...the king...Yama. 

_ Slaves_. 

"I _still_ want to save myself, Taichi. There's no other way. But I can't do it, not when it takes more than I ever imagined to stand, not when I'm so tired." 

I tremble. 

_No, Yama. Don't ask me to do it. I can't. You know I can't._

"If you really love me, Taichi, then you'll let me go. You _have_ to let me go." 

Rage. I have never felt fury until now. _My_ Yama, my beautiful, virtuous Yama, seeking death as a way to escape from..._him_. 

I rip the weapon away from him, flinging it across the room. I pull him towards me as his knees weaken and ease him back onto the bed. 

"There are other ways," I whisper, kissing his hair, his eyes, his lips, "I _will_ let you go, but not like that. _Never_ like that." 

He wraps his arms around my neck, clinging to me. 

"I can get the antidote, Yama. I can help you escape." 

Tears. 

"He won't suspect a thing. He trusts me." 

"But you'll betray your master for me? You'll throw away your honor? You'll risk your life?" 

I kiss him fiercely, almost violently. "Yes, yes, and yes." 

He pushes me away. "But what happens after, Taichi? If I succeed?" 

His voice is thick with emotion. For me? Are you worried about _me, _Yama? The king's right hand man can hardly escape execution at the hands of the people. 

"I won't be able to save you," he's beautiful when he weeps, "what'll happen to you?" 

I push him down again, resting my forehead against his, letting our eye lashes touch. "I don't know, Yama. I don't know." 

He closes his eyes and tilts his chin upward. "Tell me you love me." 

I wipe away his tears. "I love you." 

And he doesn't protest when my hands roam over his body, doesn't stop me when I let my lips travel down his neck, his shoulders, his chest...   


OOOOOO   


Morning. Glorious morning. 

I'd rather it never came. Let dawn die and the night live forever. Let _us_ be here forever. 

"...Tai?" 

I play with his hair. "Shhh... go back to sleep, Yama." 

He buries his cheek against my chest, our legs entwined. "Don't go." 

I kiss his hair. "Sleep." 

I wait until his breathing evens out before slipping out from his embrace. 

It doesn't take long to find the antidote. The guards don't question me. It'll take some time for Yama to gain his health back completely, but he'll be fine. 

I return to the room, fully intending to give the potion to him as soon as possible, but pause at the door. 

Yama isn't there.   


OOOOOO   


Author's Note: ...Great... moving right along, evil king character feels left out. The plot rolls on. 

WHY can't "My Inferno" be this easy to write? O.o 

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	7. Yamato

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: I'm so sick of studying that I finished this chapter early! YamatoFangirl, please don't hurt me. I'm half way through chapter three of "My Inferno" and it's going to be waaayyy longer than any chapter in this story. So...I'll post soon...really I will... 

Thanks to all of you who reviewed. 

Enemy 

Chapter 7 - Yamato 

_Taichi wasn't there_. 

They came for me an hour after sunrise. 

_He_. _Wasn't_. _There_. 

I tried. I really tried. 

_Did you?_

There were too many of them. 

_But you stopped fighting a long time ago_. 

I want to die. 

_Taichi can't protect you_. 

I want to die. 

_You are alone, Yamato_.   


OOOOOO   


My body feels heavy. It's hard to breathe. 

"I missed you, beautiful." 

_Don't open your eyes_._ Don't look at him_. 

"Yagami took good care of you. No?" 

_Don't speak to him_. _Don't think about Taichi_. 

Don't think about Taichi. 

"Did he put up a fight?" 

"Yes, Your Majesty." 

"Hmm, just as I thought." 

He tilts my chin up with a finger. "Tired now, are we?" 

I try to move away but nothing happens. He laughs at me. 

"The more you move, beautiful, the stronger that poison becomes." 

_I don't have to look at you_. _I'm not afraid of you_. 

His arms slide around my waist. The guards let go of me, and I fall into his embrace. 

"I told you I'd make you mine, didn't I?" He whispers in my ear, "I don't lie." 

I've landed on something soft. 

"Close the curtains, and leave us." 

_Don't go_, I want to say to the guards, _don't leave me alone with him_. 

He's on top of me now. I can feel his weight. 

_Tai_. _Help me_. 

"Look at me." 

I keep my eyes closed. 

He reaches out to undo the sash of my robe. "You look delicious in red. I'll ask them to make more robes for you." 

He touches my thigh, and I cry out in protest. My eyes open against my will. 

The king grins at me. "You don't like that, do you?" He does it again, squeezing the flesh through the thin material of the pants. 

I turn my head to the side, clenching my jaw. 

"I never thought I'd see you like this," he traces patterns on my bare chest, "vulnerable." 

And what scares me most is that I _do_ feel vulnerable, lying like this in the midst of my worst nightmares. 

"I know what you want." Something glitters in his hand. A knife. It feels cold against my skin. 

"You want me to put you out there, treat you like any other rebel. You can take more torture. You can even take death. Indeed, death right now would be a victory, wouldn't it?" 

The blade digs in, just enough to draw blood. Just enough. 

"But you can't take this, beautiful. You can't take this." 

And he stretches himself over my body, sticking his tongue in my ear before hissing a command. "Tell me where they are." 

I shudder. 

The knife makes its way down my side, leaving a long, shallow cut. 

"I have time and patience, beautiful. You have nothing." 

_I have Taichi_. 

"Where are they hiding? Where are your friends?" 

Another cut. 

_I have Taichi_. 

His teeth sink into my neck. I fight back the urge to scream hysterically. 

"I've wanted you for a long time. A very long time." 

He licks the blood from my wounds. 

"Do you know that you are trembling?" 

_No, I'm not_. _I'm not afraid of you_. _Not afraid of you_. 

"You will enjoy this. And you will beg for more. You will _want_ more, enough that you'll tell me everything I ask you in order to get it." 

He wants me to beg. He thinks _this_ will make me betray my brother and my friends? He can go to hell. 

The king kisses me. I bite him. 

He slaps me. 

Gasping for breath, I taste blood. 

His hands are traveling too low. He lowers his lips to force another kiss. 

"STOP!" 

My heart freezes. I know that voice. 

His Majesty is annoyed. "Yagami, what the hell do you want?" 

_I seriously hope you thought this through, Taichi_. 

"You can't do this yet, sir. He's not well enough." 

_That's all you can come up with?_

"He looks well enough to me." 

"There are...internal injuries." 

"Really." 

"You might inflict permanent damage, Your Majesty." 

"How so?" 

"The structure of the muscles in the human body is very complex and any stress placed upon the bones with--" 

"All right, save the lecture. I give you three days." 

"Three days?" 

"Yes, and it will be _your_ fault if he's still not well enough." 

"Yes, Your Majesty." 

Angered, the king slams the door on his way out. 

"Yama?" 

The robe is wrapped around me, and he gathers me into his arms. 

"I'll kill him," there's so much hatred in Taichi's voice, "I'll rip him apart, burn down the palace..." 

"You weren't there." It comes out all wrong. _I'm not accusing you, Taichi. It wasn't your fault._

"I know," he tightens his hold on me. There's shame in his voice, "I'm sorry." 

He takes my hand and places in it the only thing that could give me any hope. 

A small glass vial of the antidote.   


OOOOOO   


Author's Note: FINALS!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! 

I have nothing else to say. 

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	8. Taichi

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: FINALS ARE OVER!!!! High school is over!!! I have a piano master class tomorrow though... AND I haven't practiced in a week... Ah well, Ravel's not hard like Chopin and the thing _is_ memorized...last time I checked... 

Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! 

Enemy 

Chapter 8 - Taichi 

I have found at my feet a lovely bird with broken wings. I have cared for it, loved it. 

And now it is time to let go. 

I stare at the lock of golden hair in my hand. In two days, it will be all I have left of Yama. 

It's amazing to see color return to his cheeks, to watch those eyes brighten, to look at him and realize he can stand and walk by himself. But he doesn't need me anymore, does he? 

"Tai..." 

He murmurs in his sleep. I quiet him with a long, tender kiss. He sighs contentedly, eyes still closed, smiling. 

I try to hold the image in my head. Yama smiling. That's beauty. 

_What do I have to do to keep you?_   


OOOOOO   


"I love you." 

I stare at him. Just like that. He said it, the three little words I would have died a million times to hear from his lips. I think my mouth is open. 

He laughs at me. _Laughs_. I try to hold the sound in my head. 

"Promise me something." 

Yeah, like I'm going to refuse after what he just said. 

"Anything," I breathe. 

The sapphire eyes are dark again. "Leave your king to me, and don't do anything stupid." 

_Don't do anything stupid_. 

"I promise." 

He teases me, as if he knows I really _really_ want to kiss him right now. His lips curve slightly. 

I lean forward but he steps back. 

I whine. "_Yama_." 

He draws my sword, one eyebrow raised in challenge. 

Never one to back down from such a challenge, I grope around for another sword. 

He bows politely, and I just can't resist. 

"Is it true that you beat _a dozen_ of _my _men without a single weapon?" 

He laughs again. I melt. 

"You can't believe the rumors, Taichi. There were only nine of them, and I had a pole." 

"A...pole?" 

"Yes, a long, wooden pole." He raises the sword above his head, its tip directed at me. That provoking smile is in place once more, and his eyes burn into mine. 

How the hell am I supposed to beat him like this? 

His attacks are almost too fast to follow, and too graceful to be human. I think I finally understand why it took a huge dose of poison to capture him. He spins like a dancer following some spectacular music only he can hear. The sword seemed an extension of his arm, another part of his body. And through it all his eyes sparkle as if there's some secret joke, while every stroke is delivered with strength. 

I. Love. Him. 

There goes a chunk of my hair. And there goes my sword. And there is the tip of his blade kissing my throat. 

And there's me kissing him. 

"So this is home," he whispers against my lips. 

I hold him tightly, as if he'll slip away at any moment. 

_I'll find a way for us to be together, Yama_. _I promise_.   


OOOOOO   


"I won't say good-bye." 

_No, don't ever say good-bye_. 

He looks at me with sad, ocean eyes. "I wish...that you could have met my mother." 

I run my hands through his hair, inhaling sweetness with every breath. 

"There are many things to wish for, Yama. Too many things." 

One last chance to touch pale, soft skin. 

"This isn't good-bye." 

"No. It's not." 

"I'll come back to you." 

I know you will. 

He turns back at the door. Our eyes lock and hold. 

His lips move. _Thank you_. 

And Yama's gone. 

I have opened the cage and watched my bird fly away. My bird with my heart. 

Gone.   


OOOOOO   


"So," he hisses. 

My fingers twitch. I've promised Yama I won't do anything stupid, but I'm having a real hard time convincing myself that bashing my master's head against a wall until his brains leak out is anywhere _near_ stupid. 

"Am I to believe, Captain, that he simply _slipped_ out of the room?" 

"I already told you, sir. He got a hold of the antidote." 

"You _think_ he convinced one of the guards to get it for him?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"And he just walked away, right from under your nose." 

"Are you doubting my loyalty, Your Majesty?" 

"No, Captain. I am doubting your _intelligence_. Leaving the door open like that..." 

"It was an accident." 

"Was the prisoner's freedom to converse with random guards also an accident?" 

I don't answer, and His Majesty looks worried. 

"You've never failed me before, Captain." 

_I've never wanted to rip your lungs out before, either_. 

"Do you _know_ how hard it was to finally capture him? He was the key to ending this war, and I was just on the verge of getting that information out of him." 

I laugh silently. To force Yama to do anything against his will is like asking a cat to turn into stone. 

"I am seriously displeased." 

_Yeah, I really couldn't tell_. _The way you ran around this room breaking everything...___

"Don't fail me again, Captain. Now, can you direct an army, or not?" 

"Of course, Your Majesty. I live to please." 

See? I've kept my promise, Yama, and I'm going to be okay. There _is_ a time and space for us. I'll be waiting...   


OOOOOO   


Author's Note: Yama's gone... :::cries::: Taichi's sad... :::sniff::: I'm going to bed... :::blows nose::: 

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	9. Yamato

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: Well, it's been a while... :::chokes::: But this is a crappy chapter to write. Really crappy. You guys are reading the fourth rewrite of it. I still don't like it, but can't seem to bring myself to trash it _again_, so this is what you are getting. Hope it's acceptable.

Thank you for reviews, lovely reviews!

Scorpion29: Rubisco _is_ an enzyme. You are the first one to ask that question, actually. Rubisco is ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, or RuBP carboxylase. The most abundant enzyme on the planet! Very primitive too, being the entry point in the calvin cycle in photosynthesis, it can't tell the difference between oxygen and carbon dioxide, causing photo respiration to occur whenever the stomates are forced to close. That is why we have C4 plants and CAM plants...

Did I ever mention I have an incredible obsession with Science? Now you all think I'm crazy...

Without any further rambling, I give you...Chapter 9!

Enemy

Chapter 9 - Yamato

So funny. Life. So strange.

It makes you walk through a thousand miles of filth, trips you, holds you down with a million stones, and just when you are about to give up, just when you think you've had enough, it gives you another reason to live.

When Father disappeared I lived for Mother. Homeless out on the streets, searching for jobs, food, anything that would make the thinness of her hands and face disappear.

When Mother died I lived for TK, for the only family I have left. I lived so I could change his world, because he needed me to. The king had to die then, for my brother's future, and my Mother's past.

But now.

Now I live for Taichi.

Because he lives, for me.

OOOOOO

I walk casually through that well hidden street. Hidden, not because it's out of sight, but because it's the poorest, dirtiest street I'd ever seen. Tell any decent, self respecting soldier to search that place for rebels and you'll get spat at. They'll never find us.

Girls, _why _are there always so many girls?

They gather around me in a flock, talking, crying, trying to touch me.

You'd think I'm a ghost, or I'd just returned from the dead.

_I'm alive_, I want to say, _not dead_. At least not yet.

Grabbing and flinging away a hand that has somehow ended up _under_ my shirt, I make my escape into the _Phoenix_.

The inn is just as I remembered it, as shabby as ever. The few men dining at this time of day stare, shocked, before standing and bowing. I smile, and go up the stairs.

Their eyes follow me.

OOOOOO

The room is messy, dark with the curtains drawn. I can make out his shadow.

"TK," I say.

The shadow turns. I hear a gasp, then silence.

"Onii-chan?"

"No TK, I'm an immortal come to release the fire of hell. Who else can I be?"

My sarcasm goes by unnoticed, as he hurls himself into my arms, sobbing.

"I thought you w...were de...dead..."

"Shh," I kiss his hair. "I'm back now. That's all that matters."

We stand like that for a long time until his tears stop.

"Onii-chan?"

"Yes, TK?"

"You smell like women's perfume. Did those girls catch you again?"

OOOOOO

I stand on the roof, watching the palace. The air is a little fresher up here, the view a little better. Years ago I left behind the body of my mother in that tall, white building. Today, I left behind a love that may never be.

"Whatever you are thinking about, it's not your fault."

I don't have to turn to know who that voice belongs to.

"I want to be alone, TK."

"You never told me how you got out of there."

I follow with my gaze the flight of a pigeon. "Does it matter?"

"I'm worried about you, Onii-chan."

"You shouldn't be."

"You are my brother!"

"And you are mine."

He starts to walk away.

"I'm not a child anymore," he calls back. "Onii-chan, I know you are in love."

I watch the sunset alone.

OOOOOO

"We have enough men that we can attack the palace from two sides."

"Let's do that," I say.

The man hesitates. "Must you lead the army?"

I raise an eyebrow to show him this is a stupid question. "Of course."

"But what if something goes wrong? You are too valuable--"

I toss a cloak over my shoulders and step out into the street. "Get some chains and try to stop me, won't you?"

_For you, Mother. Everything. For you._

OOOOOO

We arrive at our destination by nightfall. Under the glow of a thousand torches we fight. The slaves sing as they kill.

I catch the king's eye and smile.

_You are mine._

I spin in circles. Always in circles. Like dancing. They rush at me in groups. They die at my feet in groups. The moon shines silvery light on my blood red sword.

An explosion sends one wall of the palace flying.

I raise my sword and feel my army gather behind me. We rush through the wound in the side of the king's house. The men group themselves and separate, going different ways. I walk straight ahead. I know where to go, who I'm looking for...

I destroy all that dare stand in my way. The king's men are no match for me.

I kick open a wooden door.

Fountains. Marble floors. Roses.

"Beautiful," he smiles at me. "Do you know where you are?"

"I am at the place where you will die."

He laughs at that. "I built this place for you, Yamato. Can't you just hear it? The biggest wedding ever!"

I feel sick.

He comes closer. "One kiss Yamato, won't you give me just one kiss?"

I point my sword at his heart and charge. He whips out his own sword to meet mine. I kick, he dodges. The rhythm of our fight echoes.

I slip suddenly from the water on the ground and fall against a wall. That split second is all he needs to put his blade against my throat.

"Mine again, beautiful?" He forces my weapon from my hand and flings it behind him.

I don't answer. A memory has just surfaced in my mind, as clear as if the years had never come in between.

_An instructor's smiling face._

_"Looks like you lost, Yamato."_

_Falling backwards, tripping him, hurting him. Winning the match but getting into trouble..._

I throw my head back away from the blade and let myself fall sideways, slipping against the wall. My foot kicks out, tripping him. I spin myself back on my feet. My boot connects with his hand, sends the weapon flying. I catch it and point it back, right at him.

"Yamato, please..." the king whispers in sudden panic.

I smile without mercy. The point plunges down. His scream fills the marble hall.

I pull the weapon out, dripping blood, and walk over to one of the fountains.

"Done," I say softly to the water. "It is done."

Footsteps behind me from the door. A shocked gasp.

I turn.

"Hello, Taichi."

OOOOOO

Author's Note: I should be smacked, neh? Waiting this long only to end you on a cliff hanger...

Sorry...

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme. (The Evil One)


	10. Taichi

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it 

Author's Note: :::Yawn::: Looks like I'm back. How's this for "Update Soon"?

Wow you guys are so nice. Thank you for the reviews!

Enemy

Chapter 10 - Taichi

He's beautiful, you know that?

Standing there, chin raised, meeting my gaze with clear blue eyes. His slender fingers are white against the hilt of the blood red sword.

My angel of death. _Mine_.

He's not speaking. Waiting.

_Are we strangers now, Yama? You have won. I stepped aside and watched you win. Am I once again your enemy?_

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" I ask.

He lets the sword slip from his hand and it clatters to the ground.

"No," he says softly. "I thought I did...but..."

"What do you want then, Yama?" I slip an arm around his slender waist. Our foreheads touch.

"You," he whispers. "For the rest of my life, Taichi..."

"I'm a prisoner now, Yama. My life...hangs upon a thread..."

Missed him...so much. Golden hair is like cool silk between my fingers. His lips are hot, but his hands are cold. I trap him between the wall and my body, taking all that the delicate figure could offer.

"Not fair..." he gasps out between kisses, "I've lost so much...so much..."

The white skin of his throat is softer than I remembered. His grip is like steel.

_You can't save me now, Yama._

Too late we hear the sound of metal against metal. Someone runs down the steps towards our room.

"Onii-chan!"

In an instant our positions reverse. It is I who am trapped against the wall, Yamato a shield in front of me.

"TK," he says calmly, but I can feel the slight shaking of his frame against mine.

His brother points at me, wide eyed. "You!"

"TK, don't..."

"What did you do to him? What did you do to my brother?"

"Listen!" Yamato's voice is sharp now, commanding.

TK's eyes jerk back to his brother.

Yamato softens. I've never seen him so soft, vulnerable even. I wrap my arms around him worriedly.

"I love him, TK."

Always so brave, Yama? No regrets when it comes to your heart. Your heart in my hands.

Takeru backs away, shaking. "No," his voice cracks. "No..."

"Over there!"

More clattering as men come charging in.

I push Yama away from me. He whirls around to look at my face.

"Tai..."

"Let me go, Yama. I will face them like a man, with honor."

"We have the Captain!"

I walk forward to meet Yama's army, to meet the rows of pointed spears.

"Do you surrender?"

I glance once at Yama's face. He looks pale.

"Yes. I surrender."

I look back as they lead me away in time to see Yama slump against the wall.

_I love you. _I smile.

OOOOOO

The cell door swings open, then slams shut. A pair of brown boots is all I see before a hand grabs the collar of my shirt and I'm hauled to my feet.

And the only thought in my head is that Takeru isn't nearly as beautiful as his brother.

"Yagami," he growls.

"Hi," I say weakly.

He shakes me a little. "What the hell did you do to my Onii-chan?"

"Nothing," I snap back. "He's in one piece, isn't he?"

He throws me back against the wall.

"I want to know what happened."

I rub my neck.

"Why don't you ask your brother?"

He kicks angrily at some straw on the stone floor. "He won't talk to me. He's locked himself in one of the rooms and wouldn't come out."

I stare up at the ceiling. "Why are you so against his being happy for once?"

I know that glare. He must have picked it up from Yama.

"Oh I want him to be happy," he says scathingly. "I'm just not sure you should be the one to make him so."

He has a point. Right hand man of the enemy. In the thick of the entire war. Looks suspicious, huh?

"Your brother's old enough to make his own decisions."

"Oh yeah?"

"I love him very much, Takeru."

"I doubt it. You probably just wanted to use him. Toy with his feelings a little before you betray him... I won't allow it!"

I sigh. "If I wanted to betray him, then how the hell did he escape? How the hell did you guys win this three year war?"

His eyes widen suddenly. "You mean...?"

"I let him go, Takeru. I was supposed to guard him. But I let him go."

"...Why?"

I sit down against the wall again. "Like I said, I love him very much. There's no shame in dying for him."

"And you _will_ die for him," he says.

"I know," I close my eyes. "I know."

There's silence for a long time before I hear him leave.

OOOOOO

Yama comes to see me the day before the trial.

He looks terrible, like he hasn't eaten or slept for days. There are dark shadows under his eyes, and he seems thinner than ever.

He doesn't speak, just holds out a hand to me through the bars.

I take it, raise it to my lips so I can trace little kisses all along each of his fingers. I hold the back of that hand against my cheek.

There's no need for words.

OOOOOO

_"For the crimes he comitted during and before the war, we hereby sentence Captain Yagami Taichi to death."_

OOOOOO

Author's Note: Yes, it is another cliff hanger. No, Taichi's not dead. And no, nobody should even THINK about hurting the author...

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	11. Yamato

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: So many threats! I have to run and hide now...AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Thanks for all the reviews. They made rewriting this chapter five times worth it.

Enemy

Chapter 11 - Yamato

_Don't leave me, Tai. Don't turn to me with the dawn at your back and smile before you die. Don't haunt me in my dreams, like Mother, like Sora. Stay, Tai. STAY._

"You look like a ghost," he informs me.

_I fade. See what I am becoming? My skin melds with the air, because you have stolen my soul and I can do nothing but watch you leave. Thief._

"You are crying."

_Am I? I never used to cry, not until I met you._

"Yama..."

_Don't call me that. Don't touch me. My tears are for you. Let them stay there._

"You are beautiful when you cry."

I catch his hand through the bars. Everything has become black and white.

_We live together, Tai. We die together. Do you understand?_

"You didn't come to the trial."

I struggle with the lock. The guards have given me a rusty key.

"They wanted to make me king, Taichi." _Why am I telling you this? It's pointless. Pointless. _"I refused."

The lock gives up. I slip into his cell.

"Why?" He asks. I avoid his touch.

_Let me look at you. Before you lift me up and carry me away, before I drown in your heart. Let me look._

He stares back, his warm brown eyes weakening me. But that's okay.

"I never wanted to be king," I answer. "Let them find someone else, an old man perhaps. I've suffered enough."

_I will die with you, Tai. But before that moment when all shall be lost, I will fight for life, so that we both can live. You taught me that._

"If you thought you could save me as king, then you would have taken the throne."

_Yes. But it is the people who are after your life. Ignorant, blood thirsty fools who only want the complete destruction of an old regime._

"There _is _no good or evil, Tai. Only stupidity."

He smiles softly, reaching out to touch my wet cheek. "I wish you could see yourself, Yama. Your eyes are so bright. An angel of the gods has visited me and brought me the greatest gift in this world. Be mine tonight?"

_Yours. Yours. How could you ask for something that all ready belongs to you?_

He unwraps me slowly, carefully, studying each inch of revealed skin as if trying to memorize me. Our clothes make a magnificent bed over the gray, cold floor. Then the night melts away under his kisses, his touches that are burned forever into my flesh. One. Whole. For the briefest of moments, I am Yamato and Taichi combined.

_This is a promise, Tai. We will never be apart. Never never never._

"I love you," I say. And he trembles at my words.

OOOOOO

They choose someone else to be king. Someone older and wiser. He has contributed greatly to the war. His name is not important, just as whatever insane position he offers me is not important.

I say I'd think about it.

Taichi's execution is set at dawn, as all executions are. I go see him as much as I can. The day they carry out his sentence, is the day we will be together forever.

TK, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

You are old enough to take care of yourself now. The king admires you for your talents. I have raised you as best as I can and now I must leave you. Either way, in life, in death, we have to be separated.

He looks terrified when I tell him I love him. He knows what I plan to do.

I watch as he reaches out, wanting to hug me. But there's a wall between us now, and I am somewhere beyond his reach.

"Onii-chan...please..."

He knows me well enough. I will not change my mind.

"Take care of yourself, TK. No matter what the outcome, I will be happy. Remember that."

I am not afraid of death, only of never seeing Taichi again.

He understands. I see it in his eyes. He finally understands.

"Then be happy, Onii-chan." Our hands touch. He smiles back at me through his tears.

OOOOOO

It is going to be a clear day.

The sky glows red and gold. A beautiful day to die.

Taichi is dragged out amongst cheers. They tie him to a stake. I watch as a dozen bows bend, as a dozen arrows aim at that beloved body. His eyes search for mine.

_Don't smile._

He shakes his head in disbelief as I climb over the ropes.

I stand in front of him.

I draw my sword.

I raise it in the air.

And the message is clear. _Kill me with him._

Deadly silence.

"Put down your weapons!" That is the king.

The archers hesitate.

"For the love of the gods. _Put down your weapons._"

They do.

I raise my eyes.

"Master Ishida, what is the meaning of this?"

I almost laugh out loud. Master? I never accepted the position.

"Simple," I answer. "He is a good man that does not deserve death. I will defend him with my life."

Gasps. Shocked cries.

The king takes it rather calmly. There's rage in his face.

"He was second in command to the enemy."

"I am well aware of that."

He sits down again.

"To protect him is to betray the throne!"

_Yes._

His eyes are narrowed. "Kill him. Kill them both."

I can deflect arrows. I can fight for hours. I am Ishida Yamato, who needs no weapon to win.

There are horrified cries from the crowd, and then, one after another, they kneel. They beg for my life. I was their leader and they will not allow me to die.

"Please, Your Majesty. Not him. Consider what he has done. Consider how you acquired this throne."

"Have mercy!"

The king looks at me once more. "Step aside, and I will spare you."

I laugh.

"Yama..." I ignore Taichi's call.

"You will not step aside."

"No."

"You see?" He spreads his arms before the people. "He defies divine will. He has sided with the devil! What will you have me do?"

Still, they remain kneeling.

"I will give you honorable death." The king says finally. "I will give you choice. How do you want to die? Both of you. Yagami Taichi as a prisoner of war and Ishida Yamato for treason. It is final. Get up! All of you. For the sake of my people I allow you to die the way you wish. That is all the mercy I will allow."

I am silent. I don't care. Kill us. Kill us now.

"He chooses poison." TK's voice. I give him a sharp look. "Tomorrow evening, in the temple of his gods, before his king and his brother, Ishida Yamato will take poison with Yagami Taichi. Then they will be allowed to leave, to die where they wish."

"Did I ask you to speak for him?"

_Shut up TK. Shut up. Don't get yourself killed._

"I am his brother and I know him well. This is what he wishes, though he says nothing."

"Is it?" The king asks me harshly.

"Yes," I say. If this is how TK wants me to go, then so be it.

"Then so be it."

OOOOOO

Taichi's mad at me.

"You are so stupid! You know that, Yama?"

He shakes me when I don't answer.

"Idiot...moron...bastard. You want me to feel guilty for all eternity?"

Really mad.

I shake his hands off me.

"How am I supposed to live without you?"

There is a brief pause. Then I am swept up in his arms, his mouth moving over mine.

"I know, Yama," he whispers. "Together...always...always..."

I rest my head against his shoulder. Our hearts beat in unison.

This is it. The end of the beginning.

"Now," says the king.

I take the tiny bottle in my hand, my gaze never leaving Taichi's face.

We drink the poison together.

I look around me, at the faces of my stone gods, at my brother.

TK steps closer to hug me, his hands caressing my back. "Goodbye, Onii-chan."

I take Taichi's hand in mine, and we leave.

_Goodbye._

OOOOOO

I find the note in my pocket on the second day.

_Onii-chan,_

_Did you really think I'd let you die? It isn't poison you drank. I switched the bottles. It is not enough, I know, to merely give you your lives. But it is all I can do. All I can do. Perhaps, one day, I can repay you for all you have done for me. Go with my love, brother. All the love I dare to give you without losing myself... I can't think of anyone else, who deserves this freedom and happiness more than you. We will meet again, someday..._

_Yagami Taichi,_

_I am giving you the most precious of all that I know, my only family. Take care of him. Love him as no one has ever loved him. Not even the gods can help you, if you fail in this._

_My blessings. My love._

_TK_

Wordless, I hand the paper to Taichi.

How? What have I done, to deserve such a brother? TK, TK, it is I, who shall never be able to repay you for all that you have done for me. You kept me alive when all else was lost. And now, now you bring me back from the dead.

Hotness over my cheeks. I weep with happiness, with grief, with love.

Taichi reaches out for me. We cling to each other like the survivors of a shipwreck.

And above our heads, the sun is bright.

OOOOOO

Author's Note: ooo cackles evilly ooo You all thought I was going to kill them off, didn't you? ooo insane giggling ooo See? Happy ending! Do I get cookies? Do I get candy? Do I get to never write English essays again? Never mind, ignore the last part. Anyway, there will be an epilogue, to wrap things up, and to make way for the sequel. That's right! There's going to be a sequel. Happy? Excited? Sick of my rambling? I'll just...leave now... After all ooo dramatic pause ooo my work here is done...

Rubisco. Is. An. Enzyme.


	12. Epilogue

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own it. 

Author's Note: Well, here we are. I can't believe it! I finished something. I. Finished. Something. Wow. Shocking. I won't say much about the sequel here though. I mean for it to contrast "Enemy". Know what that means? Fluff. Fluff. FLUFF! oooHysterical laughterooo I need some water...

Thank you everyone for reviewing this story. I've had SO much fun writing it. How can these guys be so cute? And so lovely? And so angsty? And so... oooAuthor's rambling is cut off by a wild Gabumonooo

Enemy

Epilogue - Taichi

"Look." Yama waves his fish around. "It's good food."

I make no reply for the moment, just stare at him. I've discovered so much more about him. His cooking talents, the way he can shimmer and glow when he's happy, the adorable blush over his cheeks whenever I tease him...

We've been out of our kingdom for three days. Each step away from that place wrings a tiny change out of him. He laughs more, and the always present tension in his frame drains away.

Ishida Yamato is stunning when happy.

"What?" He asks me, his eyes reflecting the moonlight and appearing bluer than ever.

I shake my head a little, then reach out to trace the curve of his lips. "Your smile..."

He gives me a puzzled look.

"I've never seen you smile like this," I explain.

He laughs at me, pushing the fish-on-a-stick into my hand, before turning back to the fire to cook one for himself.

We are following a small river, camping out in the safety of the woods at night, walking on the river bank by day, Yama snatching fish out of the waters whenever he pleased. And he calls me childish. Hmph.

"We could hunt for something else tomorrow," he says. I guess he's had enough fish, too. "Plenty of birds here. Maybe we can find rabbits. What do you think?"

I wrap an arm around his slim waist. "Whatever you want, honey. I'm only here to obey your every command."

He snorts most rudely, taking a bite out of his food and chewing thoughtfully. "We should go to a town somewhere, or even a village. I'm running out of spices, especially salt, and bread would be nice."

"Yeah," I agree. It's my job to agree. Whatever he says, goes. The little blonde has me wrapped around his finger. Please don't tell him that.

"What do you want to do?" I rub his side, and he snuggles into my shoulder.

"Finish my fish. Then I'm gonna sleep."

"Idiot." I tap his nose lightly. "I meant the future. The rest of our lives."

He tries to bite me, and I quickly withdraw my hand from his face.

Yama turns serious again with a sigh, tilting his head to look up at the stars. "Someday," he says dreamily, "I want us to settle by the ocean. We'll live in a stone cottage with a small garden, a fireplace, and a cat. We could support ourselves with fishing. Or we could take students, teach them the art of fighting. Money would never be a problem. We would be happy there."

"That sounds lovely," I reply softly, captured by his angelic beauty. "But why someday? Why not now?"

He gives me a dazzling smile that turns my heart to butter. "Now? While we are still so young, Tai? No way. It wouldn't be nearly as much fun. We should travel around, see the world, make some friends."

I grin back at him. "You sound so silly."

He rolls his eyes. "Whatever. You know I'm the brilliant one."

"And the beautiful one," I add. He looks up at my tone.

Heh, this is going to lead to some...interesting activities. Yama's not going to sleep as soon as he thought...

When we finally settle down for the night, Yama all ready asleep and curled up against my side, I think about what he said. Adventures with my Yama-chan? I can't think of anything better. After all, I've never truly lived until I met him.

_We are going to have a blast, Yama_. I kiss his forehead gently.

I won't have anything less.

End of "Enemy"  
Beginning of "The Ishida-Yagami Adventures"

OOOOOO

Thank you all for reading.

Rubisco. Is. Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase.


End file.
